Podcasts about Nazareth

Welcome to the Christmas series! In this episode, we meet Joseph, the strong, silently noble, carpenter from Nazareth. His character is put to the test, when his betrothed has some unexpected news to share. Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app.  To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode Title: The Rich Young Ruler: What Celebrating his 25th year on the radio, Brother Mike returns to the airwaves with an immersive look at the story of the Rich Young Ruler. Broadcast from Phoenix, Arizona, this episode dismantles the common misconception that material wealth itself is the ultimate pitfall. Instead, Brother Mike focuses on the underlying issue: the emotional affection, greed, and security we attach to worldly possessions. By analyzing original New Testament Greek terms and exploring Christ's calls to ministry across the Gospels, this study serves as a timeless, urgent reminder to look inward, recognize the "crosses" we carry, and make a change before time runs out. Key Takeaways The Heart Problem vs. The Money Problem: Material items are neutral. The true spiritual danger is philagoria (the emotional affection for wealth), which anchors the soul to earth rather than heaven. The Pattern of True Repentance: To successfully overcome a persistent sin, one must stop the behavior, actively do the exact opposite, and completely renew the mind. The Cost of Discipleship: Christ's call to ministry is frequently inconvenient, unconventional, and demands total focus. Looking back or letting modern distractions intervene can render us unfit for the work ahead. Scripture References Highlighted Mark 10:17-27 – The profound encounter with the rich young ruler, his deep emotional sorrow (stugnazo), and Jesus' powerful words on how hard it is for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom. Luke 9:57-62 – Three separate potential followers who chose comfort, tradition, or family approval over the immediate call to preach the Kingdom of God. H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/ Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Packinghouse's Sunday evening worship service from June 21, 2026. Matthew 2:13–23 highlights God's faithfulness in protecting Jesus and fulfilling His promises. Pastor Rick explains how Joseph repeatedly obeys God's direction, immediately leading his family to Egypt and later back to Israel, showing that faithful believers follow God's lead even when they do not see the full picture. The message emphasizes that events like the flight to Egypt, the sorrow in Bethlehem, and Jesus growing up in Nazareth all fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and revealed Jesus as the promised Messiah. Even in the midst of evil, suffering, and uncertainty, God remained in control of the story, accomplishing His purposes exactly as He promised. The study encourages believers to trust God's guidance, obey His leading, and remember that He often works through unexpected places and ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. - Rick Cornejo - Sunday, June 21, 2026

Luke 4:14-18 New International Version Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary of Nazareth, mother of Jesus, was the best woman that ever graced this earth. Good, so good, but not good enough to get into heaven without the Savior she bore. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1141/29?v=20251111

Episode Title: The Chosen: Brother Mike delivers an urgent, unfiltered study on what he calls "the secret plan of God." Preaching from the heart of Phoenix, Arizona, he unpacks the profound spiritual meaning behind the parables of Christ, shedding light on the ultimate invitation extended to humanity: the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Through a deep dive into New Testament Greek and a gripping personal testimony from the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles, this episode challenges listeners to look closely at their own spiritual standing. It is a sobering reminder that while the invitation to salvation is universal, true transformation requires putting on the righteousness of Christ. Key Takeaways The Ultimate Goal: God’s foundational desire is reconciliation. He actively wills that no human being should perish, but that everyone—regardless of their past—comes to a point of true repentance. The Parable of the Wedding Garment: Exploring the symbolism of Matthew 22. To attend the heavenly banquet, one cannot rely on personal philosophy, goodness, or titles; you must be clothed in the literal righteousness of Christ. Called vs. Chosen: Understanding the stark reality that while the gospel message is loudly broadcast to everyone (Kleitas), only a few truly respond, accept the conditions, and are ultimately selected (Eclectus). Scripture References Highlighted 2 Peter 3:9 – Knowing that the Lord is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish. 1 Timothy 2:4-6 – The truth that there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Revelation 19 – The magnificent setting of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Matthew 22:1-14 – The Parable of the Wedding Banquet and the vital warning: "Many are called, but few are chosen." H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/ Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke now writes to Theophilus that Jesus left Nazareth to go down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. Jesus continues teaching in the synagogue there on the sabbath.Luke shows there - a man there who had a spirit of an unclean demon. Luke 4:33-34.Dr. Mitchell then points out that there is no doubt in hell nor in Heaven who Jesus is but only among the people of thisearth. It is man who has the most difficulty in believing in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is indeed the Holy One of God, who is so because He is God in the flesh.The demon knew Jesus as a man being from Nazareth, the city where Jesus was raised from a youth.Jesus doesn't allow demons to proclaim who He is. Dr. Mitchell proclaims Jesus, on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Luke 4:31.

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta. In this episode, we resume reading from Bk4: The Yeast of the Pharisees.Original music by Angela Marie (Mohammed). Messiah. Savior. Passion of Christ. Religion. Wisdom. Miracles. Catholic Christian Theology. Apostles. Disciples. Believers. Followers. Early Church. Holy Communion. Healing. Suffering Sacrifice. New Testament. Bible. Parables. Teaching

Core Seminar // Jordan Feinberg // Selected Scriptures

They Boldly Spoke the Word of God Acts 4 by William Klock Chapter and verse breaks in the Bible are not part of the original text.  Chapter breaks were added about eight hundred years ago and verses about five hundred.  There's an old biblical studies urban legend that Robert Estienne, the French printer who published one of the early New Testaments with verse division, marked them out while riding on horseback from Paris to Lyon, explaining the often frustrating way they cut through thoughts and sentences.  Chapter breaks can be just as annoying.  I say this because last week we left off our study of Acts at the end of Chapter 3, but the end of Chapter 3 isn't where this story ends.  You'll remember that this story about Peter and John and the lame man followed right on the heels of Pentecost.  Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray when they met a lame man begging at the temple gate.  “Silver and gold have I none,” said Peter, “but such as I have I give.  In the name of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk!”  And he lifted up the man the man began to jump up and down and to praise God.  And as everyone began to gather around, Peter began to preach.  He reminded them of their own story, of God's promises going all the way back to Abraham, and how all those promises were fulfilled and how the story was brought to its climax in the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus. I won't repeat everything I said last Sunday, but needless to say—and even if you aren't familiar with the story—you probably knew that trouble was coming.  But that pesky chapter break.  It saved you from an hour-long sermon, but it also cut the story in half.  So we'll pick up after the break, with Chapter 4, now.  [It's page 1083 in the pew Bibles.] Luke continues: “As they were speaking to the people, along came the priests, the chief of the temple guard, and the Sadducees.  They were greatly annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming that the resurrection of the dead had begun to happen in Jesus.  They seized them and put them under guard until the next day, since it was already evening.  But a large number of the people who had heard the message believed it and the number of men grew to five thousand.” The idea of the resurrection of the dead was a big deal for the Jews and you'd think that announcing that it had somehow begun in Jesus would be good news.  And obviously it was for the thousands who believed.  Not so much for the Sadducees.  They were sad, you see, because they didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead.  Okay, not really.  Their name goes back to Zadok, the high priest in the days of David and Solomon.  That name, Zadok, is also related to the Hebrew word for righteousness.  So the Sadducees thought of themselves not only as the sons of Zadok, but also as the righteous ones.  And in the First Century, they controlled the priesthood.  They were aristocratic and they were in power and people like that don't usually like revolutionary ideas, and if there was there was a great revolutionary idea alive in Judah, it was the idea of the resurrection of the dead.  Resurrection means that things are broken and that God will, one day, come to set things to rights—and that implied that the Sadducees were part of the problem needing to be set right.  So they're upset at Peter's preaching.  The Pharisees didn't like this talk either.  As far as they—and everyone else who hoped for resurrection—were concerned, all God's people would be raised from the dead at the end of the age.  The idea that Jesus was raised all by himself was like heresy.  And, of course, if Jesus had been raised, it meant he was the Messiah and they refused to accept that idea.  So no matter how many eyewitnesses there were to the risen Jesus, it had never happened, so far as they were concerned. But back to the Sadducees.  They controlled the priesthood and the priests were the gatekeepers of Israel.  And this talk about Jesus as Messiah and his being resurrected, which means he'd initiated the age to come already, that was the sort of talk that might spark a revolution.  And, of course, a revolution was what was already happening as the gospel and the Spirit were beginning to do their work.  But just as they hadn't recognised it in Jesus, the leaders of Israel refuse to recognise it now and they have Peter and John locked up for the night.  Even still, Luke goes to the trouble to make the point that thousands believed anyway.  The gospel cannot and will not be stopped! Verse 5: “On the next day their rulers, the elders, and the scribes gathered in Jerusalem, along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.  When they'd stood them in the midst, they asked, ‘How did you do this?  What power did you use?  What name did you invoke?'  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.  ‘Rulers of the people and elders,' he said, ‘if the question we're being asked today is about a good deed done for a sick man, and whose power it was that rescued him, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that this man stands before you fit and well because of the name of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.  He is the stone which you builders rejected, but which has become the head cornerstone.  Rescue won't come from anyone else.  There is no other name given under heaven and among men by which we must be rescued.'” Do you remember that scene in Luke 11 where Jesus is confronted after casting out a demon?  “You can only cast them out, because you're one of them,” they accused him.  The same thing is happening again.  I think Luke wants to highlight that what's happening here might be an “act” happening through the apostles, but it's still ultimately Jesus acting.  Or the Spirit, which amounts to the same thing.  Luke makes a point of saying that Peter was full of the Spirit when he answered the accusation.  So just like Jesus, when the council asks them in whose name they healed the lame man, not only is Peter bold to announce that it's Jesus of Nazareth, they boldly assert that he is the Messiah—the one they crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.  So Peter is reasserting everything: It's Jesus.  Yes the one they crucified.  And this isn't just about a lame man walking again, this is about the resurrection of the dead.  It's about the fact that Jesus is Lord and that the revolution has begun.  The age to come, new creation, the kingdom of God is here.  In fact, they quote Psalm 118 at the council to explain it all.  Psalm 118 is a psalm of the temple.  It's about people going up to the temple to celebrate God's new day to claim his rescue, his salvation.  It's a psalm about God's life-giving power and it's about God bringing his people through trouble and rescuing them from danger. It's a psalm about trusting in God's mercy and it's a psalm about God's victory over the powers of the world.  “It is better trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man…than to put confidence in princes,” says the Psalmist (vv. 8-9). So they're saying, “It's Jesus.  He really is the Messiah and he really has inaugurated God's new age.  But then it's like they're deliberately poking a stick in these folks' eye.  The Sadducees (and the Pharisees, too, and most people) were all about the temple.  It was the embodiment of Israel's hopes for God's rescue and for the fulfilment of his promises to one day come again to dwell with his people.  And so this whole episode started with a man who'd been sitting in the temple gate for years, hoping for a rescue, yet never healed, and now suddenly healed by Peter and John—in the power of Jesus.  So that's the first thing.  It says that God has, in fact, returned to dwell with is people, but instead of being in the holy of holies, he's indwelling the disciples of Jesus.  And then, in case they hadn't made the connection, Peter, inspired by the Spirit, quotes Psalm 118 at them.  Yes, the hope of God's return is happening—in Jesus.  Yes, God is now present in his temple—but that temple isn't made of stone, it's these Jesus people.  And yes, God has come to rescue us just as he promised, to set this broken world to rights, to wipe away the tears—through Jesus.  And at the same time, it would be hard for the council to miss the hint that the mortal princes, the people from whom God's people need to be rescued are not the pagan nations, but the Sadducees and elders and scribes who are rejecting Jesus.  (Yes, the pagan nations, too, but first, God's got to deal with the corrupt leaders of his own people.) It's the same thing Peter has been preaching, first on Pentecost, then to the crowd who gathered around the lame man when they saw him jumping up and down.  Every time, Peter grounds God's salvation in Jesus as the fulfilment of his promises and of Israel's story.  Every time, it's the announcement that Jesus is Lord; that he's come to rescue his people; and every time, it's a call to repentance and faith.  This sort of situational astuteness and gospel boldness is what it looks like to be full of God's Spirit.  And the council recognised this, even if they didn't want to admit what (or who) it was.  Verse 13: “When they saw how boldly Peter and John were speaking and realised that they were untrained, ordinary men, they were astonished and they recognised them as men who had been with Jesus.  And when they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.  They ordered them to be put out of the assembly while they conferred amongst themselves.  ‘What can we do to these men?' they said.  ‘This is a spectacular sign that has happened through them.  All Jerusalem knows it, and we can't deny it.  But we certainly don't want it to spread any further amongst the people.  So let's threaten them with awful consequences if they speak anymore in this name to anyone.'  So they called them in and gave them orders not to speak at all or to teach in the name of Jesus.” It's comical and I think that's what Luke intended.  It's like they've completely missed the significance of what Peter and John have seen.  They've seen Jesus risen from the grave.  They saw him ascend to his throne.  They heard everything he said.  They saw everything he did.  And now they're doing the same sorts of things themselves in his name.  They know, without a doubt, that in Jesus God has come, that Jesus is Lord, that the kingdom is now, and that the days of the principalities and powers, the old temple, and its priests are numbered.  Peter and John know which is the winning side…without a doubt.  Threatening them isn't going to change that. Brothers and Sisters, we really need to think on that.  Don't just read Acts and let it go in one ear and out the other.  Stick a finger in one ear if you have to, but let this sink in.  Because you and I have just as much reason to be as confident as Peter and John.  No, we aren't eyewitnesses to the resurrection or the ascension, but we have every reason to believe the accounts of them.  Someone a while ago asked me about difficulties with the creation accounts in Genesis and with the history of the Exodus.  There are difficulties in the Bible.  There are hard philosophical questions for which I haven't yet found the perfect answer.  But I do know that Jesus rose from the dead.  I've heard all the arguments against it.  And they don't hold up.  I don't want to get into those details here, because that's not what our text today is about.  My point is simply that we have every reason to believe that Jesus rose from the dead and just like St. Paul, confronted by that inescapable reality, we have to accept that Jesus is the Messiah and that the rest of it all is true—even we have to wait til the New Jerusalem to understand the ins and outs of exactly how some of it is true.  It's true.  As Matt reminded us last week: Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.  And not only do those three facts change everything, they ought to give us confidence and boldness to proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord, that God has come to our rescue, and that his kingdom is now.  I'm not terribly concerned, for example, about Bill C-9.  But even if I were, I'm not going to let it stop me proclaiming the good news.  Because Jesus is King and in him the resurrection of the dead has begun.  And that truth ought to be as revolutionary for us as it was for Peter and John and the King and his Parliament and his Prime Minister ought to be just as afraid of this resurrection revolution as the Sadducees, the elders, and the scribes were. So Luke goes on in verse 19: “But Peter and John gave them this reply: ‘You judge,' they said, ‘whether it's right before God to listen to you rather than to God.  As far as we're concerned, we can't stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.'  Then they [the council] threatened them some more, and let them go.  They couldn't find any way to punish them because of the people, since everyone was glorifying God for what had happened.  After all, the man to whom the sign of healing had happened was over forty years old. Brothers and Sisters, don't stop talking about what you have seen and heard.  Peter and John were witnesses to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  You know what you're a witness to?  You're witness to the transforming power of those events.  Somehow most Christians seem totally unaware of this witness.  Maybe it's because we're so oblivious to our own history.  Maybe we need to read up on history so that we'll be aware of the power of the gospel.  The very thing that Peter and John looked forward to is now—at least partially—in our past.  Luke says there were five thousand believers in those days just after Pentecost.  Brothers and Sisters, today there are 2.6 billion.  They lived in a world in which no one outside Judaea had ever heard of Jesus.  We live in a world where Jesus is known the world over.  They lived in a little Jewish pocket surrounded by pagan nations so mired in moral filth it's hard for us to image the depth of depravity, because even as bad as might think the world is today, it has been so dramatically transformed by the gospel.  Our world, even the secular parts of it, value things like mercy and compassion, because of the transforming power of the gospel.  Brothers and Sisters, we live in a world that has been radically transformed by the power of the gospel.  If Peter and John had reason to be confident, you and I have even more. But notice, too, what they do when faced with opposition.  Verse 23: “When they had been released, they went back to their own people and told them everything that the chief priests and the elders had said.  When they heard it, they all together lifted up their voices to God.  ‘Sovereign Lord,' they said, ‘you made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them.  And you said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David, your servant, “Why did the nations fly into a rage, and why did the peoples think empty thoughts?  The kings of the earth arose and rulers gathered themselves together against the Lord and against his anointed Messiah.” It's true, Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the nations and the peoples of Israel, gathered themselves together in this very city against your holy servant Jesus, the one you anointed, to do whatever your hands and your plan had foreordained to take place.  So now, Lord, look on their threats and grant that we, your servants, may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, so that signs and wonders may come about through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'” It would do us well—and it would do the kingdom well—if we responded to opposition the way the disciples did.  We need to pray more and fret less.  There is a battle raging in the world.  Jesus has won the decisive victory, but that doesn't mean that the powers of this old age aren't trying to maintain their grip.  They're like the bad guys in the movies, hanging on to the edge of the cliff with their fingers—doomed, but unwilling to give up.  To pray is to stomp on their fingers and to send them falling.  Pray.  Pray the psalms.  Pray Psalm 2 the way they do here.  This was Israel's prayer, but Jesus and the events surrounding those first Christians reoriented it.  They cry out with the Psalmist: Why do the nations rage?  Why do the peoples think with empty thoughts? The kings of the earth have huddled together against the Lord.  Except this time Israel herself had become one of the nations, her priests huddled together with Pontius Pilate.  They'd crucified Jesus.  And yet the disciples, in their prayer, also acknowledge that God is sovereign.  Remember that for Jews to quote a line from a Psalm was to call to mind the whole thing.  And in Psalm 2, yes the nations raged and their kings gathered together against his anointed, but then—do you remember Psalm 2?—God laughs at them, because they're fools.  And God establishes his king on Mount Zion.  The once raging nations become his inheritance.  And Peter and John and the rest knew that in Jesus this psalm was being fulfilled.  The Psalm concludes addressing those kings, “Now therefore, O Kings, be wise” and just so the disciples pray, “Now therefore, Lord, look on their threats and grant that we, your servants, may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, so that signs and wonders may come about through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  Brothers and Sisters, pray the Spirit-inspired scriptures back to God and things will happen.  Luke writes in verse 31: “When they had prayed the place where they were gathered was shaken.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they boldly spoke the word of God.” We should learn this prayer.  When the principalities and powers of the old age push back, pray this prayer.  When the local council or the legislature or Parliament or the King or the courts push back, pray this prayer.  When the gospel gets you in trouble with your family or at school or in your work, pray this prayer.  When you become discouraged, if you're struggling to keep the faith, if you're wrestling with sin, if you feel cornered by the world, the flesh, and the devil, pray this prayer.  Remember that you are a witness to the power of the gospel in the world.  And pray this prayer. And immediately Luke shows us the church—not just boldly proclaiming the good news—but also living it out as a community.  Luke shows us the church as the working model of God's new creation in the midst of the old.  Luke shows us the church being the new temple: the place of God's presence and the fulfilment of his promises of abundance and generosity.  Look at verses 32-37.  I was tempted to save these for next week as they lead us into Chapter 5.  I actually think they could warrant their own sermon.  But look at them now: “The company of those who believed had one heart and one soul.”  Remember Paul telling the Philippians to “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Messiah Jesus”?  Be of one Jesus-like mind.  That plays out in all sorts of ways and Luke shows us one here: “Nobody said that they owned their property; instead they had everything in common.  The apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power and great grace was upon all of them.  For there was no needy person among them, since any who possessed lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sale, and placed it at the feet of the apostles, who then gave to each according to their need.  Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, to whom the apostles gave the surname Barnabas, which means ‘son of encouragement', sold some land which belonged to him, brought the money, and laid it at the apostle's feet.” As I said a few weeks ago when we looked at Chapter 2, this doesn't mean they became a bunch of proto-Marxists.  Luke's point is that they became a family that live out the generosity and abundance of God's new creation.  We know from what we read later, that they had their own homes in which to meet.  And the focus of their charity was on the truly indigent, especially widows—on people notably with no family to take care of them.  And Paul will warn in his own letters that the able-bodied should get jobs instead of mooching off the community.  Again, the point here is that they very visible became the community in which torah itself was being fulfilled.  They've become the land of overflowing with milk and honey.  They've become the people who truly love their neighbours.  They've become the new temple in which God has returned to dwell with his people.  And they're doing and being this community right in Jerusalem: showing up the old Israel, exposing the priest and the council, showing that the old temple and its sacrifices are done.  God has fulfilled his promises and he's done so in Jesus and in the people who gathered around him in faith. And, Brothers and Sisters, we ought to be the same sort of new creation, heaven-on-earth community here.  As in Peter and John's day, the powers that be will tell us to go away and concentrate on heaven while they run the earth.  They'll warn us not to shove our religion down anyone's throat, while they, of course, will do their best to shove their materialism, their commercialism, their hedonism down our throats.  They'll get frustrated with us when we refuse to worship in their temples to money and power and sex and politics and war.  And when that happens, Brothers and Sisters, pray.  And remember that Jesus has died, Jesus has risen, and that Jesus will come again.  Be shaped by that story.  Be confident, knowing that God has and is and will fulfil his promises.  Be bold knowing that the gospel has power and that we live in a world transformed by that power, even if everyone ignores it or denies it.  Pray.  Remember.  Be bold.  And then remember that we are the family of the Messiah, marked out by his powerful name in our baptism and that in those baptismal waters, he's plunged us in to his Spirit.  He has made us new and we're not the family meant be and to bring and to live out his new creation, to live out heaven on earth in anticipation of the day when Jesus finally sets it all to rights.  We are the family that refuses to stop singing his praises and proclaiming his glory.  That's what we were created to do in the first place.  That's what Jesus has rescued us to do right now.  And it's what all creation will one day, by his grace, do again. Let's pray: O Lord, hear us in your mercy, we pray, and grant that we, to whom you have given the desire to pray, may be defended and comforted by your mighty aid, and strengthened in all dangers and adversities, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta. In this episode, we resume reading from Bk4: The Demoniac of the Decapolis.Original music by Angela Marie (Mohammed). Messiah. Savior. Passion of Christ. Religion. Wisdom. Miracles. Catholic Christian Theology. Apostles. Disciples. Believers. Followers. Early Church. Holy Communion. Healing. Suffering Sacrifice. New Testament. Bible. Parables. Teaching

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta. In this episode, we return to Book Four and resume our reading. Here we see Jesus in the little village of the Decapolis; Parable of the Scultptor.Original music by Angela Marie (Mohammed). Messiah. Savior. Passion of Christ. Religion. Wisdom. Miracles. Catholic Christian Theology. Apostles. Disciples. Believers. Followers. Early Church. Holy Communion. Healing. Suffering Sacrifice. New Testament. Bible. Parables. Teaching

Share a commentIf you have ever looked at your own faith and thought, “I have failed too many times to be useful,” we want to challenge that assumption. The thread running through these disciples is not their polish, their confidence, or their spiritual pedigree. It is the steady reality that Jesus chooses people who disappoint Him and then shows them, over and over, that He will not fail them. We spend time with Philip, the practical “facts and figures” disciple, and watch Jesus put a spotlight on his instincts during the feeding of the 5,000. When the math says “impossible,” Jesus invites Philip to see that faith is not built on what we can calculate, budget, or control. A child's simple lunch becomes the perfect illustration of God's pattern: He does not need impressive offerings, just an available heart that will place what it has into His hands. Then we meet Nathanael Bartholomew, who has no hidden agenda but does have a blunt prejudice about Nazareth until Jesus reveals divine knowledge and wins his immediate confession. We also touch Matthew's calling as a despised tax collector, a clear reminder that Jesus does not call qualified people; He qualifies the people He calls. Finally, we rethink Thomas, not only as the skeptic but as the first to say he is willing to die with Jesus, a picture of love that stays even when optimism is gone. If this encouraged you, subscribe for more, share it with a friend who feels disqualified, and leave a review so more listeners can find the conversation. What part of your story have you assumed God cannot use? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Share a commentIf you have ever looked at your own faith and thought, “I have failed too many times to be useful,” we want to challenge that assumption. The thread running through these disciples is not their polish, their confidence, or their spiritual pedigree. It is the steady reality that Jesus chooses people who disappoint Him and then shows them, over and over, that He will not fail them. We spend time with Philip, the practical “facts and figures” disciple, and watch Jesus put a spotlight on his instincts during the feeding of the 5,000. When the math says “impossible,” Jesus invites Philip to see that faith is not built on what we can calculate, budget, or control. A child's simple lunch becomes the perfect illustration of God's pattern: He does not need impressive offerings, just an available heart that will place what it has into His hands. Then we meet Nathanael Bartholomew, who has no hidden agenda but does have a blunt prejudice about Nazareth until Jesus reveals divine knowledge and wins his immediate confession. We also touch Matthew's calling as a despised tax collector, a clear reminder that Jesus does not call qualified people; He qualifies the people He calls. Finally, we rethink Thomas, not only as the skeptic but as the first to say he is willing to die with Jesus, a picture of love that stays even when optimism is gone. If this encouraged you, subscribe for more, share it with a friend who feels disqualified, and leave a review so more listeners can find the conversation. What part of your story have you assumed God cannot use? Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Nazareth and the Hidden Life Retreat Reflection II Remaining in Nazareth Epigraph “And He was subject unto them.” — St. Luke 2:51 “Acquire the spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved.” — Saint Seraphim of Sarov ⸻ One of the most difficult words in the spiritual life is: remain. Modern people know how to begin things. We know how to pursue intensity. We know how to search, reinvent, escape, construct, perform, and anticipate. But very few of us know how to remain. This is partly because remaining exposes us. When we remain somewhere long enough—within marriage, monastic life, caregiving, prayer, ordinary labor, solitude, aging, or even our own interior life— the illusions begin to weaken. The fantasies that once sustained us no longer protect us in the same way. We begin to encounter not the imagined self, but the actual self. This is why so much of modern life is organized around movement. Not only physical movement, but psychological movement: constant distraction, 1 constant novelty, constant stimulation, constant self-reinvention. The ego survives partly through motion. But Nazareth is profoundly still. The hidden years of Christ reveal not simply obscurity, but stability. Christ remains in ordinary life for decades. He does not hurry toward visibility. He does not seek intensity. He does not construct significance through spectacle. He consents fully to the slow unfolding of hidden existence within the will of the Father. This is extraordinarily difficult for modern humanity to understand. Many people secretly endure ordinary life as though it were something standing between themselves and their “real” life. The present moment becomes merely transitional. We live psychologically elsewhere: in imagined futures, in fantasies of escape, in memories, in regret, in comparison, in endless internal narratives about what should have been. And thus we fail almost entirely to inhabit the life actually given to us. This interior refusal creates profound suffering. A person may outwardly remain faithful while inwardly resisting reality continually. One performs obligations externally while inwardly living in fantasy, resentment, disappointment, or hidden self-construction. The heart becomes divided between the actual and the imagined. The fathers understood this division deeply. They knew that the passions often sustain themselves through fantasy. A man imagines another life, another recognition, another identity, another emotional state, another spiritual condition. The mind drifts continually away from the concrete reality in which grace is actually being offered. This is one reason silence becomes painful. 2 When external stimulation diminishes, we begin to notice how rarely we are truly present. We discover how much of our inner life is spent elsewhere: rehearsing conversations, imagining futures, reliving injuries, constructing identities, seeking vindication, dreaming of escape. The modern technological world intensifies this instability constantly. The imagination becomes overstimulated through continual exposure to images of other lives, other possibilities, other identities, other pleasures. Comparison becomes ambient. Dissatisfaction deepens almost automatically. Nazareth stands against all of this. The hidden Christ remains fully within ordinary reality. This does not mean His life lacked inward depth. Quite the opposite. The silence of Nazareth is not emptiness but communion. Christ remains rooted entirely within the life of the Father. He does not need spectacle because His identity does not depend upon visibility. He does not need continual stimulation because He lives in unbroken communion. This reveals something crucial about the spiritual life: the capacity to remain peacefully within ordinary existence depends largely upon whether one's identity rests in God or in self-construction. The ego constantly seeks reinforcement: through recognition, through achievement, through intensity, through emotional experiences, through being seen, through control. But the soul gradually healed by grace becomes quieter. Simpler. Less divided. Less hungry for continual confirmation. This healing usually occurs slowly and often painfully. 3 Many people initially approach prayer hoping for spiritual experiences. But over time prayer often becomes something much humbler and more difficult: remaining before God honestly. Not dramatically. Not emotionally. Not heroically. Simply remaining. Remaining distracted yet returning. Remaining dry yet faithful. Remaining wounded yet open. Remaining ordinary. Remaining poor in spirit. Remaining within the limitations of one's actual life. This hidden fidelity gradually purifies the heart because it weakens the ego's dependence upon fantasy and self-construction. The fathers frequently speak about patience not merely as endurance of external difficulties but as the willingness to bear oneself truthfully before God. This is profoundly important. Much human restlessness arises from the inability to tolerate our own incompleteness. We seek escape because remaining confronts us with weakness, loneliness, unresolved grief, and hidden desires we would rather avoid. And yet healing often begins precisely there. A person who continually flees inwardly cannot become integrated. The fragmented self remains fragmented because it never consents fully to reality. The soul remains divided between longing for God and preserving fantasies of selfhood. Nazareth slowly dismantles this division. The hidden life of Christ reveals that holiness unfolds not through dramatic self- creation but through consent: consent to time, consent to limitation, consent to hiddenness, consent to ordinary existence, 4 consent to the will of the Father. This is why the hidden years possess such immense spiritual significance. Christ saves not only through the Cross publicly but through hidden obedience privately. The years no one notices are not spiritually empty. They become filled with communion precisely through fidelity. Modern culture rarely believes this. We imagine transformation occurring through breakthrough moments, major decisions, visible accomplishments, or emotional intensity. But most sanctification occurs almost imperceptibly through repeated acts of quiet fidelity: daily prayer, forgiveness, caregiving, showing up, remaining truthful, enduring weakness without despair, returning again after failure. The ego often despises this hidden gradualness. We want clarity quickly. We want holiness to feel dramatic. We want meaning to become obvious. But God frequently works below visibility. This is why so many people become discouraged in the spiritual life. They measure themselves according to emotional states or visible progress rather than faithfulness. When consolation fades, they assume God has withdrawn. When ordinary life continues unchanged, they imagine nothing spiritual is occurring. Nazareth contradicts this entirely. The Son of God spent decades within hidden ordinary existence, and not one moment of it was wasted. This is important especially for those carrying hidden disappointment. 5 Many souls quietly mourn the lives they imagined they would have: the vocation that never unfolded, the marriage that became difficult, the ministry that diminished, the monastery left behind, the recognition never received, the family wounds never fully healed, the years now vanished. And often beneath this grief lies another fear: that ordinary hidden life has somehow less value before God. Nazareth reveals the opposite. Indeed, Christ entered hiddenness willingly. And perhaps one of the great spiritual tasks is learning to stop resisting the life actually given to us. Not passively. Not fatalistically. But prayerfully. To stop standing continually outside our lives judging them against fantasies. To stop imagining salvation elsewhere. To stop seeking ourselves through comparison and performance. And instead to begin discovering Christ precisely here: within ordinary labor, within hidden prayer, within caregiving, within weakness, within repetition, within the quiet daily offering of oneself to God. This is not resignation. It is communion. And perhaps the beginning of peace lies not in escaping the ordinary, but in consenting at last to encounter God within it. 6

Nazareth and the Hidden Life Retreat Reflection I Nazareth and the Sanctification of the Ordinary Epigraph “And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” — St. Luke 2:51 “The Lord loves the humble soul that has surrendered herself to the will of God.” — Saint Silouan the Athonite ⸻ There is something deeply unsettling about Nazareth. Not because it is dramatic, but because it is not. The Gospels pass over nearly thirty years of Christ's earthly life in almost complete silence. We are told of His birth, the flight into Egypt, the finding in the Temple, and then suddenly He is standing in the Jordan before John. Between those moments lies an immense hiddenness. Decades vanish into silence. And yet the Church has always understood that nothing in the life of Christ is accidental. The hidden years are revelation. This is difficult for us because we are formed by a world that equates meaning with visibility. We instinctively imagine that what matters must be seen, accomplished, recognized, effective, influential, or extraordinary. Even our spiritual life often becomes infected with this mentality. We want transformation to be dramatic. We want clarity quickly. We want our lives to feel significant. But Christ spends the overwhelming majority of His earthly existence in obscurity. Not preaching. Not healing publicly. 1 Not raising the dead. Not confronting empires. Working. Praying. Eating meals. Walking dusty roads. Living within the repetition and hiddenness of ordinary life. The Son of God sanctified not only suffering and death. He sanctified ordinary existence itself. This is one of the great forgotten truths of Christianity. Many people secretly endure their lives as though the “real” spiritual life were elsewhere. They imagine holiness occurring in monasteries, missions, dramatic sacrifices, or extraordinary mystical experiences, while their own existence feels painfully repetitive: the dishes, the caregiving, the exhaustion, the office, the commute, the sleepless nights, the aging body, the hidden grief, the years that seem to pass without visible transformation. But Nazareth stands before the world as a contradiction to all such thinking. God chose hiddenness. Not as punishment. Not as delay. But as revelation. The hidden years reveal something about the very manner in which God acts. Divine life does not move according to the logic of spectacle. God works silently, patiently, gradually, often beneath visibility itself. Seeds germinate underground. The child grows in the womb unseen. Bread rises quietly. Prayer deepens imperceptibly. The kingdom of God arrives almost secretly. 2 And so much of the spiritual life unfolds precisely where the ego feels most deprived: in repetition, in obscurity, in waiting, in relinquishment, in the slow erosion of self-importance. This is why Nazareth becomes painful for us. Not because it lacks God. But because it threatens the fantasies through which we preserve ourselves psychologically. Most human beings carry within themselves an imagined life. We construct inward narratives about who we will become, what our lives will look like, how others will perceive us, what spiritual maturity will feel like, how our vocation will unfold. Often we do this unconsciously. The ego survives partly through anticipation and self-construction. But ordinary life slowly dismantles these fantasies. The years pass. Weaknesses remain. Relationships become difficult. Bodies age. Opportunities disappear. Recognition fades. The extraordinary fails to arrive. And many people quietly become resentful at precisely this point. Not necessarily resentful toward God explicitly. More often there emerges a subtle disappointment with reality itself. The ordinary begins to feel like failure. Hiddenness feels like abandonment. Repetition feels meaningless. The soul becomes restless, searching continually for intensity, novelty, affirmation, or escape. But the hidden years of Christ reveal something radically different: salvation unfolds within ordinary time. This is profoundly important because modern culture has become nearly incapable of remaining within ordinary life. We seek constant stimulation 3 because silence exposes our inner poverty. We seek visibility because hiddenness feels like nonexistence. We seek intensity because ordinary faithfulness feels insufficient to the ego. And yet the saints repeatedly tell us that God is found precisely in this hidden endurance. Saint Isaac the Syrian says that the man who has learned to endure himself has already approached the borders of humility. That phrase is extraordinarily deep because one of the great difficulties of ordinary life is that we cannot escape ourselves within it. The repetitions of daily existence expose our impatience, vanity, fantasies, irritability, loneliness, and hidden hunger for recognition. The monastery reveals this. Marriage reveals this. Caregiving reveals this. Aging reveals this. Silence reveals this. And modern people often flee immediately from such revelation. This is one reason our culture is saturated with distraction. Endless stimulation protects us temporarily from encountering the deeper movements of the heart. Noise allows us to avoid self-knowledge. Busyness protects us from stillness. Constant comparison protects us from accepting our actual lives. Nazareth dismantles all of this. The Son of God accepts limitation. He accepts hiddenness. He accepts gradualness. He accepts ordinary labor. He accepts being unknown. And perhaps most astonishingly, He remains. This may be one of the hardest spiritual acts for modern people. To remain. To remain in prayer when prayer feels dry. To remain in marriage when emotional intensity fades. To remain in caregiving when exhaustion deepens. 4 To remain faithful within obscurity. To remain present within ordinary life without fleeing continually toward fantasy or self-construction. The hidden years reveal that salvation often unfolds precisely through such remaining. Not glamorous remaining. Not emotionally triumphant remaining. Simply the quiet fidelity of continuing to offer oneself to God within the actual conditions of one's life. This does not mean passivity or fatalism. Nazareth is not an excuse for fear or avoidance. Christ eventually leaves Nazareth and enters public ministry. But He does so only after decades hidden within ordinary existence. The hidden life was not wasted time before the “real mission.” It was itself part of the revelation. And perhaps this is what many souls most need to hear today: your hidden life is not invisible to God. The years that seem uneventful. The labor no one notices. The prayers said distractedly but faithfully. The meals prepared. The tears shed privately. The humiliations endured quietly. The long stretches where nothing seems to happen spiritually. None of this is outside salvation. Christ has entered all of it. Indeed, He chose to spend most of His earthly life there. The fathers understood this more deeply than we often realize. The desert was never merely geographical. It was existential. The monk enters hiddenness not to become extraordinary, but to become truthful. Gradually the false self built upon recognition, performance, fantasy, and comparison begins to weaken. A different kind of life slowly emerges: simpler, poorer, more real, 5 less dependent upon being seen. This is why hiddenness feels simultaneously painful and liberating. Painful because the ego experiences obscurity as diminishment. Liberating because the soul gradually discovers it no longer needs to construct itself continually before others. Nazareth teaches us this freedom. The hidden Christ reveals the holiness of ordinary existence lived in communion with the Father. And perhaps holiness itself is far quieter than we imagine. Perhaps sanctity often looks less like dramatic accomplishment and more like: patience, presence, forgiveness, hidden prayer, remaining, and consenting slowly to the life actually given to us. Nazareth teaches us that salvation enters the world silently. And it teaches us that the ordinary moments we are most tempted to overlook may become precisely the places where Christ is forming His life within us. 6

Jesus spoke to those in the synagogue in Nazareth, His hometown. Those who heard Him become very angry to the point of rejecting Jesus and an attempt to kill the Lord.These attitudes and actions reveal our Lord's word which He spoke in verse 24 of Luke 4, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in His hometown.”What did Jesus expose to them from the Word of God that revealed their unbelief in Him?He told them, that He Himself fulfills this prophecy from Isaiah.He then sited two examples from the Scripture of Gentiles outside Israel who WHO DID HAVE FAITH in God's prophets, Elijah and Elisha. Peter writes, “We have the more sure word of prophecy to which you do well to pay attention to...” 2 Peter.1:19Here is Dr. Mitchell on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Luke 4:18.

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta. In this episode, we resume reading in Bk4: At Solomon's Village; the conversion of Zacchaes and the beggar on the road to Jericho.Original music by Angela Marie (Mohammed). Messiah. Savior. Passion of Christ. Religion. Wisdom. Miracles. Catholic Christian Theology. Apostles. Disciples. Believers. Followers. Early Church. Holy Communion. Healing. Suffering Sacrifice. New Testament. Bible. Parables. Teaching

Patrick explores everything from seeking Catholic-friendly guides to the Book of Revelation and unpacking the Enneagram’s fit with faith, to recommending movies that stir the soul or spark debate—such as "The Passion of the Christ" and "Jesus of Nazareth." Questions about intention, content filtering, and the challenge of finding beauty and virtue in art come alive as Patrick weighs in, fielding practical tips, personal anecdotes, and observations about how media shapes the spiritual journey. Conversation shifts rapidly: one moment it’s about saints and personality types, the next it’s the ethics of film censorship or the impact of watching a powerful scene in a dark theater. Justin - Can you recommend a book that talks about the Book of Revelation? (00:47) Erika (email) - Is the Enneagram compatible with the Catholic faith? (03:26) Mike - What do you think about Mel Gibson's Passion 2 movie that he is making with an Archbishop? (09:37) Lisa (email) - Just wanted to tell you that the beautiful film Jesus of Nazareth has always been my favorite as well. (22:35) Patrick and Cyrus contemplate the pros and cons of censorship Nicki - I use ClearPlay to edit out the bad stuff. We were able to show my kids Interstellar and Marvel movies because of this. (40:35) Bob - In Mathew 5 it says, 'let the light shine before others...and see your good dead's' but then it also says, 'Don't make a big deal out of the good things you do' (44:30)

In this study, Luke writes of Jesus' return to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and coming to his home town of Nazareth, Jesus both read the Word of God and spoke to the people.Dr. Mitchell discusses Jesus' exposition of Isa.61:1-2. The application of this Word of God by Our Lord, through this method, later exposes the unbelief of the hometown people and on the other hand, the faith of two Gentiles who lived outside of Israel. However, here Jesus announces that He Himself is at that very day and hour fulfilling this prophecy spoken and written by Isaiah. This prophecy revealed the ministry of the Messiah and Jesus is that Messiah. Dr. Mitchell shares that you and I can continue the ministry of our Lord today.Here is Dr. Mitchell on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast, Luke 4:14.

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta. In this episode, we resume reading from Bk4: As Jesus, with his Apostles, travels through the Plain of Esdrealon, He works The Miraculous gleaning in the Plain to benefit a poor old widow. (Note: this episode seems to have gotten lost; we just caught the mistake so I publish it here although it's out of chronological order. My apologies.)Original music by Angela Marie (Mohammed). Messiah. Savior. Passion of Christ. Religion. Wisdom. Miracles. Catholic Christian Theology. Apostles. Disciples. Believers. Followers. Early Church. Holy Communion. Healing. Suffering Sacrifice. New Testament. Bible. Parables. Teaching

Where did Jesus grow up? Where did he choose to live during his ministry? Did Jesus own a home? This week, Cole and Terry discuss the cities of Nazareth and Capernaum, what they would have been like in Jesus' day, and the role they play in his life and ministry. 

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Marcus Lane "The Gospel on Trial" and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on "Cornerstone". Digging Deeper Questions: How does the notion that "the word does the work" shift how you approach the calling to take part in God's mission?   Have you ever encountered the accusation or felt like Christianity is exclusive? How does the nature of grace help address this concern?   How might the life of the early church challenge you to grow in generosity? Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1-22, 32-37 1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.   5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."   13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name." 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.   32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence    "Cornerstone" Hillsong CCLI Song # 6158927   CCLI License # 11254293

Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) gives us one of the first historical treatments of the life of Jesus in his pioneering book (1906) that reviews all prior work on the question of the "historical Jesus" and points out how Jesus of Nazareth's image has changed with the times—while offering his own synopsis and interpretation in this seminal work of biblical criticism. Quest of the Historical Jesus by A. Schweitzer at https://amzn.to/4jwQoJm New Testament versions available at https://amzn.to/43KBXN9 ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Mark's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's Books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio Credit: The Quest of the Historical Jesus by Albert Schweitzer (LibriVox, read by JoeD).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Day 2884 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2884 – “Welcome to the War”  based on Luke 9:1-11 Putnam Church Message – 05/17/2026 The Good News According to Luke: “Welcome to the War.”   Last week's message was “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost,” in which we learned that the crowd may overlook you. Fear may accuse you.  Shame may silence you. Death may threaten you. But Jesus says, “You matter to Me.” Today, we continue with our twenty-third message from Luke's narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today's message is: Welcome to the War.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:1-11, which is found on page 1608 of your pew Bibles. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8 others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. 10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Opening Prayer Father, we come before You today grateful that Your Kingdom is still advancing in this world. We confess that we often forget we are part of a spiritual battle. We become distracted by comfort, criticism, fear, busyness, and self-reliance. Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see Your mission clearly. Teach us to trust Your authority, / depend on Your provision, / endure rejection with grace, / and return often to You for rest and renewal. May Your Word shape us today, not only as listeners, but as faithful disciples sent into the world with good news. In Jesus' name, amen. Introduction: The War We Did Not Start, But Are Called to Enter Today, we continue in Luke's Gospel with the twenty-third message in our New Testament series, and the title is “Welcome to the War.” That may sound strong at first. We may think, “War? I thought we were talking about the Good News.” But Luke has been showing us from the beginning that the Good News of Jesus is not merely a comforting message for private spiritual reflection. It is the announcement that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus Christ, and that means the dominion of evil is being overthrown. When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Nazareth, He announced good news to the poor, freedom for captives, sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. When He healed the sick, forgave sinners, calmed the storm, delivered the demon-possessed man, restored the woman who had suffered for twelve years, and raised Jairus' daughter, He was not simply doing random acts of kindness. He was showing that the Kingdom of God was breaking into a broken world. In our previous messages, we have watched Jesus minister with compassion and authority. / We saw Him show love and grace to a sinful woman in the Pharisee's house. / We asked, “Where Are You in This Picture?” -> as Jesus taught about the soils of the heart. /  We saw “Freedom From Bondage” when Jesus delivered the man among the tombs. /  We saw that no one is “Never Too Little, Never Too Lost” when Jesus stopped for the suffering woman and raised Jairus' daughter. Now, in Luke 9:1–11, something shifts. Up until now, the disciples have been watching, learning, assisting, asking, and following. They have seen Jesus preach. They have seen Jesus heal. They have seen Jesus command demons. They have seen Jesus calm nature itself. But now Jesus calls the Twelve together and sends them out. The students become participants. The observers become messengers. The apprentices enter the battle. Jesus does not merely gather followers to sit near Him. He forms disciples to join His mission. So today, let's walk through Luke 9:1–11 under four main truths. Main Point 1: Jesus Sends Ordinary Disciples with His Power and Authority Luke tells us that Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. Then He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. / This is remarkable. These are the same disciples who were afraid in the storm. These are the same men who often misunderstood Jesus. These are not polished professionals. They are fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary men and women from ordinary places. And yet Jesus sends them. / That should encourage us. God's mission does not depend on perfect people. It depends on the authority of a perfect Savior. /  Luke uses two important words here: power and authority. Power refers to ability — the strength to accomplish what could not be accomplished naturally. Authority refers to the right to act on behalf of another. A police officer directing traffic is a helpful picture. The officer may not have the physical power to stop a moving vehicle with his bare hands. But when he raises his hand, cars stop because he carries delegated authority. He acts on behalf of a higher government. Jesus gives His disciples both. He gives them divine ability and delegated authority. / They are not going out in their own names. They are going out in His name. / And what are they sent to do? They are sent to proclaim the Kingdom of God and demonstrate the mercy of the Kingdom through healing and deliverance. In ancient times, a herald would enter a town square and speak on behalf of the king. The herald's message carried weight because it did not originate with the herald. He spoke with delegated authority. That is the picture here. The disciples are heralds. They are announcing that God's Kingdom has drawn near in Jesus. / This connects directly with the broader story of Scripture. In Genesis, humanity was created to live under God's good rule. But sin brought rebellion, brokenness, death, and bondage. Throughout the Old Testament, God promised that His Kingdom would come, His enemies would be defeated, and His people would be restored. The prophets looked ahead to a day when captives would be freed, the sick would be restored, and God's reign would be made known among the nations. Jesus is that fulfillment. And now He sends His disciples to announce it. Object Lesson: The Badge and the Battery Hold up two objects: a badge and a battery. A badge represents authority. It says, “I have been authorized to act.” A battery represents power. It supplies energy to do what needs to be done. A badge without power may represent a title but no ability. A battery without authority may have energy but no direction. Jesus gives His disciples both. For us today, not all of us have the same calling as the Twelve. Their mission in Luke 9 was specific to that moment in Jesus' ministry. But the larger principle remains: Christ still sends His people into the world as witnesses. We go not because we are impressive, / but because Jesus is King. We speak not because we know everything, / but because we know Him. We serve not because we have unlimited strength, / but because His strength is made perfect in weakness. ...

Send Us Your Questions/CommentsEach week Pastor Mark takes time to go deeper and talk about the week's message!  If you have questions you'd like him to answer or hear more about please send those in by texting us at the link in the show notes!You can also view video of this podcast and our Sunday sermons by visiting our YouTube channel!https://www.youtube.com/@lifehousemot A crippled man asks for spare change and walks away with new legs, a new future, and a crowd demanding answers. That scene from Acts 3 is more than a dramatic miracle story; it's a spotlight on Jesus Christ of Nazareth and a test of what we really believe about him. We talk through why Peter refuses credit, why the healing is immediate and public, and how God often uses ordinary faithfulness like showing up to pray to put us in the right place at the right time. We also pull back the curtain on our week away representing our church at the Southern Baptist Convention and why we see denominational partnership as a voluntary, mission-focused affiliation. From the Cooperative Program to the commissioning of missionaries sent to unreached and even hostile places, we share why “we can do more together” is not a slogan but a practical strategy for global missions, North American church planting, and relief efforts that meet real needs. The heart of the conversation turns to clarity: not every use of the word “Jesus” points to the same Jesus. We unpack Peter's bold claims about Jesus as the Holy and Righteous One and the Author of Life, why adding to Scripture or subtracting from Christ changes the gospel, and why fence-sitting is still a decision. We end with the beauty of repentance, the promise of sins being blotted out, and the deeper hope of salvation that holds steady even when circumstances don't change. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review.New episodes every Mondaywww.lifehousemot.cominfo@lifehousede.comJoin us Sundays at 9 & 11 AMIntro music by Joey Blair

Psalm 74:10-17, 1 Kings 1-2:12, Acts 10:23b-11:18. Jesus was opposed: ‘They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen' (10:39–40) Contrastingly, the most wonderful privilege any human being can have is to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth whom ‘God anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power' (10:38)

Psalm 74:12-17, 1 Kings 1:32-34, 2:1-3, Acts 10:25-47, 11:1-17. Jesus was opposed: ‘They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen' (10:39–40) Contrastingly, the most wonderful privilege any human being can have is to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth whom ‘God anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power' (10:38)

IntroductionThroughout church history, God's people have struggled with a persistent temptation: looking to the visible means of grace rather than the invisible power behind those means. We can think that the effectiveness of the gospel depends upon the piety of the minister. Certainly, a minister needs to have a piety that rests in the Lord. The minister needs to believe the gospel message. However, we also need to see that the human vessels are the means that God uses to build his church. We are called to be faithful to our God, but it is our God who nourishes and builds his church through his ordinary means. The Human Tendency to Look to MenWhen the lame man was healed at the Beautiful Gate, the man and the crowds did not immediately recognize the source of his healing. Instead, the man clung to Peter and John, looking to these apostles as the source of life and power. This response reveals a fundamental human pattern: we naturally gravitate toward the visible and tangible. We think that human piety makes God powerful. Rather, it is God's power that cultivates human piety. Peter immediately corrects this misunderstanding, asking why they stare at him and John as if the healing came through their own godliness or power. Peter knows that it is not in his power, but in the Lord Jesus Christ. The crowds had witnessed a miracle and immediately assumed that the men performing it must possess extraordinary holiness. The signs do not testify to the man's piety, but to the man's credibility. The apostles make explicit that they did not heal the man. Their ability to heal is only because Christ has been raised from the dead, and they are sent as his witnesses. We see this same thing with Moses at the exodus. The sign testifies to his authority rather than his personal piety. This tendency to trust in the man persists in our own day whenever we find ourselves drawn to charismatic personalities or assuming that a minister's effectiveness correlates with his personal piety.Peter's rebuke reminds us that true faith looks past the clay vessel to the treasure within, recognizing that the power belongs to God alone. The minister is merely a conduit, not the source. The minister merely preaches the gospel and is not the author of life himself.The Promised Messiah RevealedPeter redirects the crowd's attention from the apostles to the "Author of Life.” He reminds the crowd that it is Jesus Christ, whom they had denied and sent to death. This title, servant, is drawn from Isaiah's Suffering Servant songs. Peter identifies Christ as the one who not only creates life but restores it. Christ is the suffering servant who overcomes the consequences of the fall and brings humanity from death to life. Peter boldly declares that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, whom Israel rejected because He did not fit their theological system. Peter's point is that Jesus Christ is the very one foretold by the prophets. His mission is to suffer before entering His glory.The tragedy of Israel's rejection becomes clear when we understand what they rejected: not merely a teacher or miracle-worker, but the Author of Life Himself. They chose Barabbas, a revolutionary and murderer. They chose the very man who did what they accused Christ of doing. They preferred a Messiah who fit their expectations, one who is a political liberator, and denied the Suffering Servant who would bear his people's sins. Peter's point is that the Messiah's suffering was not an unfortunate detour but the very fulfillment of God's eternal purpose. The resurrection confirms that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the prophet greater than Moses whom God promised to raise up. The Gospel InvitationWe would expect Peter to dismiss the crowd and tell them to go home. They are not worthy of the Messiah's work. Peter exposed the crowd's sin and ignorance. Despite their failure, Peter extends a remarkable invitation: repent and turn to Christ for the forgiveness of sins. This call to repentance is not a demand for perfected righteousness but a call to submit to the Messiah for life. We see the Messiah as the sole sacrifice for sins. The Messiah is the life-giving power that transforms our mindset and orientation to turn to God rather than away from him, as we are naturally inclined to do without the Holy Spirit. Peter knows the grace of restoration personally. Remember that this is the same Peter who denied Christ three times, who was questioned by the risen Lord on the shores of Galilee, and who was restored despite his failure. Yes, and it was an awkward conversation. However, Christ is reassuring Peter that His grace is sufficient. Peter knows firsthand that the gospel invitation is extended not to the worthy but to the weary. Peter knows that he failed, but he proceeds in the confidence that the Lord upholds him until the end. Peter knows his need for a redeemer. The beauty of this invitation lies in its promise: sins wiped out, times of refreshment from the Lord, and the sending of the Christ who has been appointed for Israel. Peter emphasizes that this promise extends to all whom God calls, far beyond the immediate audience. The prophet, like Moses, continues to speak, and those who heed him find life. Peter gives a warning: those who refuse this prophet will be cut off from the people. Peter also gives the assurance that those who turn to Christ in faith and repentance find their sins forgiven and their hearts renewed. The gospel is not a call to admire the apostles or aspire to their spiritual achievements, but a call to find life in Christ alone.ConclusionThe apostles do not seek the people's worship. No, the apostles point us to the One who is worthy of worship. Christ, the Author of Life. Yes, the second person of the Trinity has done the Father's work. The Father and the Son send out the Spirit to equip and empower God's people to stand firm in the storms of this age. The one God who has been faithful to his people confirms the prophetic promise in Christ. Our best spiritual achievements only manifest themselves in the power of our Lord's redemptive mercy. We are called to find our identity not in our own significance but in our Redeemer. We live under His authority rather than measuring ourselves against human standards. When we are tempted to trust in what our eyes see, we are called to walk by the eyes of faith. We are tempted to trust in the eloquence of the preacher, our Christian growth, our performance, but the call is to bow the knee in service to the One and only Triune God who calls us into his presence. The power that healed the lame man, that raised Christ from the dead, and that continues to work in His people today is the same power that calls us to bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Let us find our contentment in Him alone.

Psalm 74:12-17, 1 Kings 1:32-34, 2:1-3, Acts 10:25-47, 11:1-18. Jesus was opposed: ‘They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen' (10:39–40) Contrastingly, the most wonderful privilege any human being can have is to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth whom ‘God anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power' (10:38)

Sermon Outline: "On My Father's Side" Preacher: Pastor Lemuel Miller (Guest Speaker / Advisory Board Member) Location: Church of the Harvest I. Introduction: The Temple and the Root Causes of Sickness The Caleb Spirit: At nearly 74 years old, Pastor Lemuel shares his experience winning a silver medal at the national arm wrestling championship, emphasizing that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We must actively care for our physical templates so that the Holy Ghost is not "living in a garage or a shed." Commanding Prayers vs. Begging: In his book Prayers for Healing, Pastor Lemuel explains that many believers stay in ignorance, begging God for things He has already accomplished. Spiritual maturity requires switching from begging prayers to authoritative, commanding prayers. Uprooting Sickness: True physical restoration requires looking past the surface pain and identifying the structural root causes of diseases. Migraine Headaches: Often rooted in trauma and bitterness. Kidney Disease: Rooted in deep unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, and self-rejection. Leukemia: Often linked to bitterness and paternal rejection. Lupus: Can stem from deep-seated guilt, self-hatred, and low self-esteem. II. Point 1: Understanding Jesus as a 100% Human Example The Human Dependency: Reading from John 5:19, Jesus explicitly declares that the Son can do absolutely nothing of Himself except what He sees the Father do. Many Christians incorrectly attribute Jesus' earthly miracles to His inherent divinity, forgetting that He stripped Himself of that privilege to come as a 100% vulnerable human baby. The Earthly Blueprint: Jesus had to fully depend on human care and look directly to His Heavenly Father for supernatural strength. By doing this, He serves as a complete human blueprint for how we are meant to walk out authority on Earth. III. Point 2: The Full Meaning of Salvation (Sozo) Fire Insurance vs. Full Rights: Most modern believers view being "saved" purely as a post-death ticket to Heaven to avoid Hell. The Greek Meaning: In Matthew 1:21, the term for save is the Greek word Sozo. When properly translated, it means you are actively rescued from: Accidents, injuries, physical harm, and structural danger. Destruction, risk, peril, loss, and premature/untimely death. Sickness, chronic disease, physical infirmity, and generational curses. The Transacted Benefits: True Sozo simultaneously grants the believer legal rights to divine prosperity, total deliverance from addictions, inner strength, structural healing, and operational wholeness. IV. Point 3: The Conversation in the Temple (The Two Sides) Using a vivid exploration of Luke 2:47, Pastor Lemuel illustrates the 12-year-old Jesus sitting among the elite rabbis and theologians, contrasting His dual lineage: On My Mother's Side: Born into natural law, generational trauma, human limitations, fear, hunger, thirst, trouble, and the lingering curse of sin. On My Father's Side: Formed in supernatural law, eternal life, and generational blessings. The Supernatural Exchange: * Hungry/Thirsty: On His mother's side, He fasts; on His Father's side, He is the Bread of Life and a well that never runs dry. Natural Law: His mother's side is bound to gravity; His Father sits upon the flood (Psalm 29:10)—and a Father who sits on the flood raises a Son who walks on water. Surrounding Defense: On His Father's side, He is covered by feathers and wings (Psalm 91:4), meaning His truth functions as a structural shield, buckler, and surrounding defense against the snare of the fowler. Age and Identity: On His mother's side, He is a 12-year-old from Nazareth; on His Father's side, He is the Ancient of Days, Alpha and Omega, the Architect of the Universe, and the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. V. Point 4: Operating in Dunamis Power The Age of Public Service: In Hebrew culture, a priest could not step into public high-priestly service until age 30. Accordingly, Jesus did not perform public miracles until reaching this baseline. The Necessity of Anointing: Acts 10:38 states that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power. If Jesus was operating strictly as God, He wouldn't require an anointing or a companion. He operated as an anointed human being. Miraculous Power (Dunamis): When the Holy Ghost fills a believer, they receive Dunamis power—the explosive, dynamic, and supernatural capacity to perform miracles. Rebuking the Root: When dealing with demonic possession (Acts 16), Peter's mother-in-law's fever (Luke 4), or the raging sea (Mark 4), Jesus always used sharp, severe, and authoritative rebukes (epitimao). In the storm, He did not rebuke the water; He rebuked the wind—the structural root cause of the problem. VI. Conclusion: Activating Faith vs. Waiting The Whip Post Transaction: Based on Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Paragraph 2:24, our healing is already completely provided in the past tense ("by whose stripes you were healed"). Healing was legally settled at the whipping post, not two years from now. Faith is Practical Action: Believers fail to receive because they allow passive doubt to eat their seed of faith. Like the ten lepers in Luke 17, their structural healing manifested on the way because they actively moved in obedience to Jesus' command. Healing vs. Wholeness: While nine lepers were cleansed (cured of the disease), the Samaritan leper who turned back to worship Jesus was made whole (Sozo). Healing cures the virus; wholeness creatively restores every limb, finger, or piece of flesh that was eaten away or missing. Scripture Index Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service: Deuteronomy 34:7 (Referenced) – The account of Moses being 120 years old with eyes undimmed and his natural force unabated. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (Referenced) – Knowing that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, bought with a price. John 5:19 > "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." Isaiah 7:14 > "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 9:6 > "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Matthew 1:21 > "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save [sozo] his people from their sins." Luke 2:8-14 (Paraphrased) – The angelic announcement to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night in the city of David. Luke 2:47 > "And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers." Romans 8:2 (Referenced) – The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus making us free from the law of sin and death. Psalm 29:10 (Referenced) – The Lord sitting upon the flood; the Lord sitting King forever. Psalm 91:1-16 (Completely Quoted) – The structural promises of protection, including abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, delivery from the snare of the fowler, protection from night terror, and angels bearing the believer up. Psalm 8:4-8 (Referenced) – What is man that thou art mindful of him, creating him a little lower than the angels and putting all things under his feet. Luke 10:19 > "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Psalm 103:1-5 (Referenced) – Blessing the Lord and forgetting not His benefits, who forgives iniquities and heals all diseases. Mark 11:23 > "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart... he shall have whatsoever he saith." Acts 10:38 > "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." Isaiah 53:5 > "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." 1 Peter 2:24 > "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." Hebrews 1:14 > "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" 2 Corinthians 5:21 > "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Luke 17:11-19 (Referenced) – The healing of the ten lepers on their way to the priest, and the structural wholeness given to the one returning Samaritan. "Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

We all know about the blind spots that plague us while driving our vehicles, but few of us stop to consider the unseen realities shaping our spiritual walk. In this episode, part two of the sermon series "That's Crazy," Pastor Ryan Kramer explores the famous biblical encounter between Jesus and the Roman centurion in Matthew 8. This text reveals a sobering truth: out of all the religious leaders and lifelong insiders surrounding Jesus, it was a complete outsider who left Him completely amazed. By analyzing the stark contrast between the centurion's faith and the town of Nazareth's ultimate unbelief, this message acts as a "parking sensor" for our hearts. It forces us to confront whether we are merely seasoning our lives with occasional drops of Christianity or if we are fully surrendering to Christ's absolute authority. The message outlines three essential truths that define a faith that moves God: -- Faith sees Jesus differently. The kind of faith that amazes God does not look at Jesus as a convenient helper to make life comfortable. It recognizes Him as the absolute Lord over all creation, rendering everything else secondary. -- Faith trusts Jesus completely. True trust does not dictate the how, when, or where of a miracle, but simply says, "Just say the word." When our desire for personal control increases, our active trust in God's plan decreases. -- Faith responds immediately. Real, saving faith is never passive or abstract. It moves us to action, requiring us to yield our immediate circumstances, marriages, finances, and futures into the hands of the Father. Scriptures for Further Study -- Matthew 8:5-13 -- Mark 6:1-6 -- Luke 7:1-10 +++++++ Join us for church this Sunday. For service times and meeting location please visit https://transformtlh.com/

We continue the Gospel of Mark's fast-moving account of the fascinating life of Jesus of Nazareth. Breathe Bible Audio CD available at https://amzn.to/3CPRa4x ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark's video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 X (twitter): https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credits: Breathe Bible podcast (LifeAudio Podcast Network, Salem Web Network). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A young prince is stripped of his family, his freedom, and his name—and cast into chains by the power of Rome. Driven by injustice and fueled by hatred, Judah Ben-Hur fights to survive…unaware that a brief encounter with a man from Nazareth has already set his destiny in motion. Don't miss Part One of Ben-Hur—a powerful story of loss, vengeance, and the first stirrings of grace on the next Unshackled!

Chapter 19 of Heroes in the Bible: Jesus with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by the Gospels. He is Risen - Jesus is ALIVE! He Appears before Mary, the same person he healed from demon possession, and the whole world will soon discover what she knows. Today's opening prayer is inspired by Mark 16:6, And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app. Sign up for Heroes in the Bible devotionals at https://www.heroesinthebible.com/  Learn more about Dr. Tony Evans at https://tonyevans.org/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode: Deleting Dementia — The Global Agenda to Put Patients to Sleep The medical profession has officially given up on diseases like dementia and severe mental illness. Instead of seeking real solutions, their final answer is simple: eliminate the patient. In this controversial "Filthy Friday" episode of Hardcore Christianity, Brother Mike celebrates his silver anniversary on the radio by tackling a chilling new frontier in the battle for human life. Pulling back the curtain on New Jersey’s recently introduced Senate Bill 4186, Brother Mike exposes the rise of DSADs (Dementia-Specific Advanced Directives). Under the guise of "comfort feeding only," these directives legally authorize caregivers to withhold lifesaving artificial nutrition, essentially starving vulnerable dementia patients to death. But this is just the beginning. From Europe to Canada, full-blown euthanasia is rapidly expanding to cover patients with chronic conditions like borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and severe psychosis. Why? Because the insurance carriers and corporate medical systems care more about protecting their bottom line than protecting human dignity. Brother Mike exposes the spiritual rot driving this agenda and reveals how the Bible predicted this exact hour: The Propagation of Deception: Examine 2 Timothy 3 to understand how the scriptures warned that in the last days, evil men and seducers would wax worse and worse, actively deceiving and being completely deceived by their own systems. The Spiritual Roots of Mental Infirmity: Look at biblical accounts of spiritual oppression and see how modern mental illnesses, dementia, and severe psychosis are consistently exacerbated or driven by demonic entities. The Testimony of True Deliverance: Hear powerful testimony of how the ministry has seen individuals suffering from full-blown schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder completely healed and delivered through the real-world power of Jesus Christ. They tested our obedience during the pandemic with social distancing and masks, and now they are watching to see if we will stand by while they decide that human life is cheap. The Rapture and the Tribulation are only a few years away. It is time to snap out of cognitive passivity, get the sin out of your life, and rededicate your soul before you find yourself next on their list. Connect with the Ministry: If you or a loved one are being oppressed by demons, or if you are a born-again Christian seeking professional biblical counseling, reach out today. All ministry services are completely free of charge. Phone: 602-636-5800 Email: mike@hardcorechristianity.com Weekly Schedule: Live Services: Thursday & Friday nights at 7:00 PM (Arizona Deliverance Center) Ladies Night: Tuesdays at 6:30 PM Sunday Podcast Broadcast: 9:00 AM Monthly Healing Service: Last Friday of every month at 7:00 PM Free Zoom Services: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings (Email Brother Mike for access links) Location: Arizona Deliverance Center – 15th Ave, just south of Osborn Rd (The red brick building), Phoenix, AZ. H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John's imprisonment foreshadows the suffering that Jesus will endure, but the time for His passion has not yet come. Jesus withdraws from Antipas' territory and leaves His hometown Nazareth to adopt Capernaum as a home base. In so doing, Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the preaching of the Gospel in Galilee of the Gentiles. There, Jesus preaches the same sermon that John had preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus calls four fishermen to follow him and become His apostles who will later preach that same sermon of repentance and faith to the whole world.  Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 4:12-22.  To learn more about Trinity in Ottumwa, visit trinitylutheranottumwa.com. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.

Episode: Meteors, Earthquakes, and the End of the World — Are We All Going to Die? The night sky is beautiful, but what happens when the stars start falling? In this explosive episode of Hardcore Christianity, Brother Mike tackles a question that is forcing its way onto the nightly news: Are we running out of time? Pulling directly from alarming NASA charting and recent real-world events—like the 230-ton fireball that recently shattered the peace over Massachusetts with a midday sonic boom—Brother Mike bridges the gap between modern data and ancient prophecy. Since the year 2000, the number of near-Earth meteorites has skyrocketed from 850 to tens of thousands, and destructive earthquakes registering between 6 and 8 on the Richter scale are accelerating staggeringly. Space is going crazy, and nature itself is screaming a warning. This isn't random coincidence; it is exactly what the Lord Jesus predicted would happen just before the Tribulation. Brother Mike walks you through the harrowing timeline of Earth's future, breaking down the catastrophic cosmic events detailed in the Scriptures: The Six Seals of Judgment: See the future unfold in Revelation 6, where the stars of heaven fall to the Earth like figs shaken from a tree, and a global earthquake rattles the planet. The Blazing Star of Wormwood: Unpack the sounding of the trumpets in Revelation 8. Learn about the giant asteroid destined to blaze through the atmosphere, poison a third of the Earth's waters, and create enough smoke to black out the sun. The Final Shake-Up of Jerusalem: Look at the severe prophetic judgments in Revelation 11 and the unprecedented destruction waiting on the horizon. The Worst Earthquake in Human History: Face the reality of Revelation 16, which promises a mighty shaking worse than anything seen since mankind was placed on the Earth—even surpassing the great flood of Noah. The Words of Christ: Ground your understanding in the warnings of Jesus from Luke 21, detailing the famines, pestilences, and fearful sights (phobeo—panic attacks) that will cause men's hearts to fail them for fear. The Rapture and the Tribulation are just around the corner, and time is officially running out. If you have been living in cognitive passivity, it is time to wake up, change your life, and rededicate your soul to the Lord before the judgment seals are opened. Connect with the Ministry: If you are a born-again Christian in need of support, healing, or professional spiritual counseling, reach out today. All ministry services are completely free of charge. Phone: 602-636-5800 Email: mike@hardcorechristianity.com Weekly Schedule: Live Bible Studies: Thursday & Friday nights at 7:00 PM Ladies Night: Tuesdays at 6:30 PM Sunday Podcast Broadcast: 9:00 AM Monthly Healing Service: Last Friday of every month at 7:00 PM Free Zoom Services: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings (Email Brother Mike for the access links) Location: Arizona Deliverance Center – 15th Ave, just south of Osborn Rd (The red brick building), Downtown Phoenix, AZ. H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I greet you in Jesus' precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 11th of June, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We go to the Book of Acts 22:7: ”And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.” The power of testimony! I think, without a doubt, it's the greatest miracle ever. There's a transformation of a person completely dedicated to killing Christians and putting an end to Christianity, then in the space of one moment, became the greatest ambassador on earth, apart from Jesus Christ Himself, for the Gospel. His name? Yes, Saul of Tarsus. Once he was converted, he became Paul the Apostle. He wrote two-thirds of this very book that I am reading to you at this moment. It's incredible, a one hundred and eighty-degree turnaround. Oh Jesus we love You! In a clear sky, in the middle of the day, none of the others around him knew what was happening, and the Lord knocked him off his horse or whatever he was riding and said to him, ”Why are you persecuting Me.” “Who are You Lord?” “I am Jesus of Nazareth.” Oh folks, I've seen it so many times. You can't explain it. The wonderful thing about a testimony is that you can agree to believe it or you can disagree, but you cannot argue about it because you weren't there, and that was the case with Paul when he was converted in an instant, on the road to Damascus, where he was going to persecute God's people.Today, I want to say to that young lady that is so desperate for her husband to come to Christ. I want to say to that old mother who has been praying for her son for many years, I want to say to that young child who is desperately hoping that mom and dad will come to Christ, continue to trust the Lord and pray, and God will answer your request, without a doubt. I've seen it too many times in my own life. Bringing men to a Mighty Men Conference, who didn't even know they were going there - they thought they were going on a fishing trip. Three friends put him in the car, and there were four of them, and they drove, and as they came onto the land where the event was taking place, the man started weeping, and they said, ”Why are you crying?” He said, ”I don't know.” And that was the conversion of a man from the world into the Kingdom of God.Let us keep on for Jesus.God bless you and goodbye.

In this episode of Kingdom Crossroads, TS Wright welcomes Comedian Nazareth for a joyful, faith-filled, and deeply encouraging conversation. Nazareth shares his journey from being born in the Holy Land, growing up in Kuwait, coming to America, and eventually encountering Jesus Christ in 1992. After walking away from a promising mainstream comedy career, including major entertainment opportunities, Nazareth committed his comedy to the Lord and began using laughter as a bridge for evangelism.Nazareth explains how God redirected his gift of humor into ministry, opening doors for him to perform in churches, prisons, stadiums, rescue missions, recovery ministries, and outreach events across the country. His heart is to help people “laugh again” while also hearing the good news of Jesus Christ. He also shares how the Lord answered his prayer for a godly wife, how he keeps Christ and family above career, and why clean comedy can break down walls in a divided culture.In This Episode, We Discuss:Nazareth's background in the Holy Land, Kuwait, and the United StatesHis salvation testimony and decision to surrender his comedy career to ChristHow clean comedy became a tool for evangelismMinistering through humor in prisons, churches, stadiums, and outreach eventsThe founding and mission of Laughter for AllWhy laughter can open hearts to the gospelHis testimony of waiting on God for marriageHow believers can love people without compromising truthThe importance of reaching hurting people with hope, joy, and the message of ChristGuest Resource: Connect with Comedian Nazareth and learn more about his ministry and upcoming event here: https://www.laughterforall.org/event-details/laugh-again-a-laughter-for-all-comedy-concert-with-comedian-nazareth-friends-1The linked Laughter for All event is titled “Laugh Again! A Clean Family Friendly Concert with Comedian Nazareth & Friends” and is described as a night of clean comedy, encouragement, and hope for the community. Guest Website Mentioned: Nazareth's main website: nazarethusa.com Ministry website: laughterforall.orgCheck out this link to view Kingdom Cross Roads on TV.https://jesussaid.tv/?affiliate=tswright_gccTo get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Suggested Captivate Tags / Keywords: Comedian Nazareth, Christian comedy, clean comedy, Laughter for All, Christian comedian, faith and humor, evangelism through comedy, Christian testimony, Kingdom Crossroads, TS Wright, gospel outreach, family friendly comedy, laughter and healing, Christian podcast

Join us as we dig deeper into last Sunday's sermon from Pastor Randy Duncan "The Gospel in Jerusalem" and hear from Amy Duncan and Nate Zuellig on "God So Loved". Digging Deeper Questions: 1. Who are the people we often pass by without really seeing? Peter did more than notice the lame man. He "fixed his gaze" on him and truly saw him. Who are the overlooked, lonely, hurting, or forgotten people in your daily life? What keeps us from seeing people the way Jesus sees them?   2. What are you expecting from Jesus right now? The lame man asked for money, but Jesus gave him something far greater. Have there been times when God answered a need in a way you did not expect? What might Jesus be offering you that is deeper than what you are currently asking for?   3. What does it mean to live and serve in the power of Jesus' name? Peter did not point to his own abilities, resources, or spirituality. He pointed to Jesus. In a culture that often celebrates self-sufficiency, how can we learn to depend more fully upon Christ and His presence rather than our own strength?   4. Why do compassion and proclamation belong together? The miracle opened the door for Peter to share the Gospel. Why do Christians sometimes separate acts of mercy from sharing the message of Jesus? What are practical ways we can demonstrate Christ's love while also speaking about Him naturally and authentically?   5. Where is Jesus calling you to "give what you have" this week? Peter said, "What I have, I give to you." You may not have all the answers, abundant resources, or extraordinary gifts, but you have Jesus. What opportunities might God be placing before you this week to offer Christ's love, encouragement, hope, or witness to someone else?   Scripture Reading: Acts 3:1-26: 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.   11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.   17 "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness." Intro/Outro Song: "Only One" Nate Zuellig ULC Artist In Residence    "God So Loved" We The Kingdom CCLI Song # 7169675   CCLI License # 11254293

Episode: Satan Wants Your Kids—And He’s Got Them The devil isn't running up and down the streets looking to kidnap your children anymore. He doesn't need to—because he found a way straight into their minds. In this powerful episode of Hardcore Christianity, Brother Mike sounds an urgent alarm on the systematic onslaught targeting the hearts and minds of the next generation. Armed with startling data from the Institute for Family Studies, Brother Mike reveals how unfiltered technology, social media validation loops, and early exposure to a digital fantasy world are fracturing children's cognitive development and inviting spiritual warfare right into the home. From the declining reading scores in 83% of American school districts to the tech billionaires who strictly keep devices away from their own children, this episode exposes the enemy's blueprint for mind control. But God has given parents a counter-strategy. Brother Mike unpacks the essential biblical boundaries required to reclaim our children and protect their minds from demonic deception: The Mandate of Early Training: Rediscover the foundational promise of Proverbs 22 to train up a child in the way he should go, ensuring a lifelong anchor in the truth. Diligent Household Discipleship: Examine the command in Deuteronomy 6 for parents to keep God’s word burning in their own hearts first, teaching it diligently to their children through every daily routine. The Danger of Passive Parenting: Unpack the stark warning in Proverbs 29 about the destructive nature of permissive, hands-off parenting and how a child left to themselves ultimately brings shame. The Harvest of Righteous Discipline: Learn from Hebrews 12 how godly discipline, though painful in the moment, yields a beautiful harvest of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. Spiritual Accountability for Fathers: Break down Ephesians 6 and the desperate need for fathers to stop provoking their children to anger, stepping up instead to lead them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The Battleground of the Mind: Look closely at 2 Corinthians 4 to understand how the "god of this age" actively manipulates human thoughts (noema) to blind those who are perishing. The culture has let our children down, and permissive parenting has opened the door to digital torment. If you are ready to break the cycle of escapism, shut out the noise of the world, and establish a fortress of scripture in your household, this message is your turning point. Connect with the Ministry: If your family is in crisis or you are a born-again Christian seeking spiritual guidance, professional biblical counseling is available completely free of charge. Phone: 602-636-5800 Email: mike@hardcorechristianity.com Weekly Schedule: Live Services: Thursday & Friday nights at 7:00 PM (Arizona Deliverance Center) Ladies Night: Tuesdays at 6:30 PM Sunday Podcast Broadcast: 9:00 AM Monthly Healing Service: Last Friday of every month at 7:00 PM Free Zoom Services: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings (Email Brother Mike for access links) Location: Arizona Deliverance Center – 15th Ave, just south of Osborn Rd (The red brick building), Phoenix, AZ. H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Autumn Miles as she delves into the subtle ways familiarity with Jesus might be holding back His power in your life. Raised in a pastor's home, Autumn shares her personal journey from mere knowledge to a profound experience of His presence. This episode uncovers how routine can dull your faith and block miracles. Explore the story of Jesus in Nazareth, where unbelief stifled His works. Discover how to keep your faith vibrant, avoid pride, and stay open to divine wonders. Perfect for those seeking genuine encounters with God and a faith that truly transforms.Bible ReferencesMark 6:1-6ORDER HOLY GHOSTED HERE! https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ghosted-Teaches-Surviving-Spiritual/dp/1636415431 Links from the showBOOKS: www.autumnmiles.com/resourcesSPEAKING: www.autumnmiles.com/speakingMERCH: autumnmiles.square.siteIf you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the show, send us an email at hello@autumnmiles.comIf you have a suggestion for the ministry, a question for Autumn, a testimony to share, or other inquiry for the Autumn Miles Ministries, click here and fill out the form, or send us an email at hello@autumnmiles.com Join us on social media!Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheAutumnMiles/Instagram: www.instagram.com/autumnmiles/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AutumnMilesClick here to join our weekly and monthly newsletters and get updates on our podcast and exclusive content!If you feel led to give to the Autumn Miles Ministries, click here to donate. Thank you for supporting Autumn Miles Ministries!

Send us a Positive Review!Series Title: Religion IS Political [Part VII of VII]This final episode of this series is our response to the point of view that Jesus did not ‘get political'. Jesus (and each of us) cannot avoid being political. We state our “politics” with each stance to either uphold or resist dominator hierarchies. And Jesus' whole ministry can be defined by resistance to any system that placed the life of any human being over the life of any other human being. Listen to this episode to answer for yourself the following questions: Did the actual Jesus of Nazareth embody radical love for all human beings and speak strongly and often about very "political" topics?  Or did claim neutrality in a way that left those of his time uncertain about how he felt about authoritarian power structures and their treatment of "the least of these"? Timestamps:00:00 Welcome and Series Finale02:06 Recap of Episodes One to Six05:01 Liberation Jesus or Empire Mascot06:42 Scripture Lenses and Competing Jesuses08:47 Jesus of Nazareth vs Christ of Empire12:48 Refusing Power and Inner Kingdom20:30 Flattening Margins and Social Norms27:58 Good Samaritan and Bad Laws Today34:42 Challenging Religious Gatekeeping40:05 Taking Jesus Name Through Action43:23 Love Over Fear God Image47:06 Closing Thanks and Fellowship InviteSupport the showSupport the showJoin The Live FellowshipListen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODESFriday Episodes Annual Access $89Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10Valerie's Support & Processing GroupsGift a ScholarshipDownload Free ResourcesVisit our Website

Every week, members of The Gospel Project for Kids team offer guidance to help you as you prepare to teach each session to preschoolers and kids. This week, we discuss Unit 22, Session 2—Jesus Rejected in Nazareth.

When Jesus returns to Nazareth, He is met not with faith but with cynicism. The people most familiar with Him are unable to receive Him for who He truly is and miss what God wants to do among them. In the same way, unbelief can keep us from experiencing the fullness of God's work in our lives. From Mark 6:1–6.

(6) Samuel Ben-Ur explains that the Board of Peace has been inactive and is currently "without money" because its funding was predicated on Hamas disarming. Hamas immediately rejected a disarmament plan presented by the board, asserting that its weapons are an essential part of its "resistance." The group's political leadership remains protected in Doha, Qatar, due to U.S. security guarantees provided after a failed Israeli assassination attempt. Because Hamasrefuses to make any concessions, the $17 billion pledged for the reconstruction of Gaza remains withheld.1899 NAZARETH

One of the most consistent characteristics of the people of God in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is that they listen to God. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson explains how, in order to hear what God is saying to us, we have to know Jesus of Nazareth as King and understand the nature of our position in His Kingdom. He shares that we need the humility to be learners—to have a listening posture and to intentionally invest our strength, our resources, our gifts, and our entire selves as a living sacrifice to our King. As Jesus is lifted up and given our reverence as our Lord, we will experience the presence of the Holy Spirit and hear the voice of our King.

(1) James Tabor introduces the historical Mary through the city of Sepphoris, the urban capital of Galilee located just miles from Nazareth. Unlike the small village of Nazareth, Sepphoris was a bustling Roman "jewel" where Mary was born to parents Joachim and Anne. Joseph is described as a "tecton" or builder, likely a stonemason involved in the city's reconstruction after it was burned by Romans in 4 BCE. Tabor emphasizes the traumatic environment of Jesus' infancy, suggesting Mary witnessed the smoke of the city and thousands of Roman crucifixions, which shaped her spiritual focus on the kingdom of God.